By Magnus Effiong
The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Barr Alphonsus Eba, has told party officials demanding his resignation that the constitution of the party had already rendered such calls illegal.
Recall that 35 chapter chairmen and secretaries of the party had, Tuesday, in Calabar, called for the immediate resignation of Barr Eba over an alleged financial impropriety.
The chairman, of the group, Chief Kelvin Njong, who read a communique said to have been arrived at after a meeting, said the call for Eba’s resignation was due to “high handedness, insolent, underrating, and transactional approach in party administration.”
However, in his reaction, the State chairman submitted that “No chapter chairman has the power to call for the resignation of the State Chairman or State Executive Committee member. On the contrary, the state executive committee has full powers to discipline and sanction them and this will be done immediately.”
He also accused the chapter chairmen of embezzling “monies meant for ward executives and some chapter executive, running over #60 000, 000,”adding “They must come and give account for that.”
Exonerating himself from some of allegations levelled against him, Barr Eba said, “We now pay all party Executives numbering 5, 778 salaries directly into their account and we have paid all of them up to date. But the 17 chapter chairmen salaries is being held until they clear themselves over the fraud alleged against them.
“Chapter chairmen collect LGA appointees dues of more than 4 million monthly and squander without taking care of other Excos at the Chapter and ward level
“They collect 3,600, 000 from some quarters and squander causing a disproportionate salary structure that is in excess of what State Executive Committee members earn. This is against the spirit of our administration and our commitment for transparency and accountability.”
